Author Archives: janishaag

Unknown's avatar

About janishaag

Writer, writing coach, editor

Annie’s spring

One of the things I’m often asked by people who read my posts is, “How’s Annie?” And the answer is pretty much always, “Her usual happy self.” My friend Nikki traveled to China to adopt Annie two summers ago and … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 3 Comments

Mandalas

Sometimes life hands you rocks. Sometimes they’re pretty rocks. Sometimes they’re art pieces made by a kind soul so that their heft in the hand is downright healing. That’s what Laurie Aboudara-Robertson sent me. She’s the women I met while … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments

Baby tree

The Monday before Easter, shrouded by the pain of so many others who have suffered great loss, I stand in the front yard as Paul, an apostle of sorts, arrives for the weekly blower treatment and lawn trim. And when … Continue reading →

Posted in Poetry, Uncategorized | 7 Comments

Stevie

I play you for my college students whose parents might have boogied to your songs in their teen years, but these kids, Stevie, they don’t recognize the funky sounds of your keyboard, their bodies don’t automatically start to groove when … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 9 Comments

Solvitur Ambulando

Thanks to Margo Fowkes for republishing this post on her terrific site, Salt Water, which is dedicated to publishing work about grief and loss. I drove to the Napa Valley over spring break to walk with a friend who has, … Continue reading →

Posted in Nonfiction, Uncategorized | 11 Comments

The BFF

I often stop myself when I start to write about my BFF because… it’s complicated. Not our adoration of each other—that’s simple. We have been best friends ever since, way back in the last century (the 1980s!), we met when … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 4 Comments

wall/here

wall/here was all you left behind on one bookshelf— two tiny magnetized words with no place to stick though, really, there was more: a handful of stray pills that got away and hid under the bed, under the rose rug … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 8 Comments

This year, the seven

The first I didn’t even see. I leave food for her several days a week. On the days I don’t, a former student of mine walks across the street from her apartment to the college and dishes out some wet … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 8 Comments

Holly jolly

In my family, I like to tell people, my sister and I were singing harmony before we knew what melody was. That wasn’t strictly true, but I do know that having two parents who came from musical people and who … Continue reading →

Posted in Nonfiction, Uncategorized | 11 Comments

Enjoyin’ the ride with Annie and Antsy

Some days, if you’re lucky, are full of music. And my most recent Saturday sure was. I watched two people I adore sing at two different performances 45 miles apart. One packed an old opera house to the rafters, and … Continue reading →

Posted in Bringing Annie Home, Nonfiction, Uncategorized | 8 Comments